Antiques at Just Folk - Just Fabulous

 I am not sure when I first learned of Just Folk, but their website has long been a favorite of mine. Sometimes when I begin to feel my folk art is strange or not as valuable as whatever the latest trend is in antiques or decorating, all I have to do is visit this charming venue to remember the love I have for and the value of, simply charming, extraordinary art created by artists of all walks of life.

 So, recently while planning a trip to visit some colleges out west, I thought to visit this favored website and find out just where in California it is. Imagine my excitement to realize it would literally be right down the road  from where we would be!!

And, as good fortune would have it, we had a day in between college visits. 

I don't have to tell you what we did with our time!

The building was custom designed for the Just Folk gallery. You can read the whole story here.

The rest of my adventure will unfold here. 

I don't think I need to say much. You will see that this is a very special place filled with folk art TREASURE of all sorts. 

Enjoy the photos and leave me a comment if you have a question, or better yet, go visit

 

JUST FOLK !

 One of my favorites - Miss Orange Lips.

This is the inside of the elevator used to go to the second floor. 

Imagine decorating the elevator!! 

How clever is that?

 If you take the stairs rather than the elevator, this big fella is waiting to greet you at the top!

 Mr. Flat Top - isn't he the best!!??

Have you ever in your life seen such a fun way to designate the restrooms!! The sliding doors themselves are to die for!

 I LOVE this guy with his little tin bowler and his funny, primitive legs. Looks like he is just about to dance!

 I took several photos of the space in general. It is perfect for showcasing this amazing collection of American folk art, Traditional antiques and very special outsider art.

And maybe my favorite guy of the whole day......

Hope you enjoyed the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Thanks for reading Hill Country House!

The American Antiques Show NYC

                                                      

         Oh how I wish I could be at the opening preview tonight for the American Antiques Show in NYC!

The show benefits the The American Folk Art Museum, one of my favorite places in all of NYC. 

 I have to share with you just a few of the dealers who will be set up at the show.

I have chosen a few treasures from some of their websites. 

 These are not necessarily what they will have a the show - I should make that clear.

I have just visited their websites to torture myself since I can't go to the show.

 First up, a BUTTON SUIT......have you ever in your wildest dreams thought of such a thing?

Well, apparently Ruby Ann Kittner from Iowa did, and she created it sometime in the 1930s.

WOW.

                                          

 

                                                                       Harvey Antiques

I found this wonderful oddity at Harvey Antiques. 

Pay a visit for more fabulous and unusual folk art unless, of course, you are going to the show. Lucky.

        The fabulous tramp art hanging shelf and the amazingly clever assemblage of wood, wheels and a fan (created by Paul Hart) in the form of a goose come from Just Folk, an amazing shop in California.

I really, really want to visit there one of these days!

                        

     The Just Folk website is really well done and fun with great music to browse by!                          

                                    

                        These precious creatures were a store window display in the 1930s.

 Oh.My.Gosh. Have  you ever seen anything so funny and charming!?  

From  Leatherwood Antiques

                   Leatherwood specializes in 19th century children's pottery and has a grand collection of    little mugs and plates with different names on them. Most charming!

                                                                              

                              If you need any sort of textile, a fabulous quilt, a hooked rug, or a quirky piece of folk art  I am sure that  Stella Rubin will have quite the booth at the show! 

         Her website is phenomenal and I wanted to include more photos than I could!                                   

                               Gorgeous Streak of Lightening quilt circa 1870 from Stella Rubin.

                                 Folk art guitar from assembled parts, also from Stella Rubin.

                       

                                                                                                                  

     

                                                            American Primitive Gallery   

                   "GOOGLY EYED CAT This old cat toy was well worn and loved.It's tail is longer than its  feet, the google eyes can still follow your movements, yet its squeeze meower is silent. Painted oilcloth (with bow tie) red cloth edging and now an AP metal base". 

(from the American Primitive Gallery website) 

What a sweet black cat!

While I can't really choose a favorite among the dealers I have mentioned (and there are a lot more - visit the website for the show) I have to say that the website of Jeff Bridgeman is very interesting, educational and fun to peruse. His antiques are of a really high quality and in many cases he explains why they are valued as they are and what to look for in similar examples. Here are a few of my favorites, but do visit here is you want to see and learn more.

                   RED AND BLACK, MAINE BLANKET CHEST WITH BRUSH-WORK PAINT DECORATION IN WHIMSICAL LINEAR PATTERNS, DATED 1856:

Paint decorated Maine blanket box with a beautiful and unusual form, on a bracket base, retaining its first surface red background and black brush-work designs. The various geometric patterns on the front and sides are punctuated by the two consecutive square medallions on the top. Dated “1856” on the back. Pine construction. Outstanding early condition.

                                         (Text quoted from Jeff Bridgeman Antiques.)

                    TWO-DOOR PAINTED QUEBEC CUPBOARD / SERVER IN ROBIN’S EGG BLUE WITH RED TRIM, 1810-30:

This little Quebec two-door cupboard / server has the nicest combination of Robin’s egg blue and red paint that any collector could wish for on a piece of country furniture. This has been present since the mid-late 19th century and is over an original surface that may have originally been blue as well, but which oxidized and faded to light green, as very early blue often does on rural, North American furniture.

Made between 1810 and 1830, it’s simple and sturdy form has recessed paneled doors with great chamfering on the reverse and is nicely molded on the top and bottom. The top surface is scrubbed and has a very pleasant, honey-colored patina.

                                                  (Text quoted from Jeff Bridgeman Antiques)

While my taste runs towards the casual and folky, there will certainly be some more formal and exquisite antiques at this show. The website of Charles and Rebekah Clark is chock full of fine and beautiful antiques like these sconces.

John Keith Russell has wonderful American antique furnishings and I particularly love this clock from New Hampshire

                                                       and this darling wagon seat, c. 1810.

                  So there you have it - a little sample of a big show in New York this weekend!

Oh, and by the way, some of our favorite designers are on the Interior Designers' Committee for the show - people like Mario Buatta, Miles Redd, and Vincente Wolf. On the Virginia Committee of Honor are Bunny Williams, John Roselli, and Charlotte Ross. Mmmmm...hhmmmmmm - just thought I'd drop a few names!!

Wonder if there any any cheap flights to NYC tomorrow?

Musings about Life and Coincidence

Earlier today I was catching up on my blog reading and was amused when I read Joni's latest post on her new collection of beautiful cream ware AND about the clock she bought at Marburger Farm last week for her kitchen.

Joni has exquisite taste. I love seeing what she does in her own home as well as in her client's houses. While I have a true appreciation for the style she loves, I have quite another style.

Mine is quirky, eclectic, folky, maybe even funky (okay, weird). I can't define my style other than it is colorful, casual, sometimes Southwestern, some Mexican and Italian, but not always...... more farmhouse than formal..........I love what I love and that is just me. We both love antiques and share a fanatical interest in design. As different as our personal styles are, we keep stumbling upon similarities between us.

In case you have not read before, I was once married to Ben's (aka Mr. Slipper Socks) brother. Had our timing been a little different, Joni and I would have been sisters in law. As it happened, we found each other through blogging!

The amusing thing about her post was that I had snapped a picture of her clock without realizing it when I took this photo. You see, I loved a lot of the things that dealer, Mary Jackson, from Colorado, had in her space at the antique show. She had a great variety of Southwestern items as well as a very nice collection of paintings and lamps, mirrors, silver trays, folk art pieces, and one particular fabulous old French clock.

I bought several items that just spoke to me from Mary. My choices are not the even close to being similar ! This old, hand carved from one piece of oak, Indian, is a great example of hand made folk art. He just needed to come back to the hill country with me! Do you think he is to redundant standing in front of the painting?

The other item is a very old iron planter with a water bird sitting on it's side. Perhaps a type of heron? Anyway, the planter is painted and resembles majolica in a way. Do not ask me why - I just love it! Sometimes I am attracted to things now that I know in years past, I would have thought were ugly as sin! This piece is one of those things. Like I said, I just love it!! Go figure.



Here she sits, posing on the hearth before taking her spot on the coffee table.......for the time being. You know how you have to move new things around to see where they fit best........and then of course, move them again when the spirit moves you!

Now she has a birds' nest in her planter to keep her warm. She is quite unique, isn't she?

Next I will tell another story on Joni that I could SOOO relate to. It involves the falling clock and some falling pottery (at my house!) - if you haven't done so, read her post about the falling clock here.

Austin Artist Terrell Powell

When I was wandering through the tents at Round Top I came upon Terrell Powell, a talented and friendly artist from Austin. As I have mentioned before, I tend to be an all or nothing kind of girl, to a fault. So, I have had these photos loaded and ready to go for a week..........waiting until I had time to call Terrell and do a full fledged interview. Well, it hasn't happened yet, and they are such fun, so my words will be few and if you want to see more go to www.curiousroom.com


I love the houses and Terrell appears to love what he does. He told me enthusiastically about his work being in people's homes as well as in children's hospitals. His paintings are happy and full of vibrant color and pattern used in surprising ways. He paints houses, flowers, birds and all sorts of animals.


His work has a wonderful folk art and naive feel to it, yet some of his work could fit in the most sophisticated of interiors.

I loved this tall vase of flowers. It has a great dimension, or maybe "not dimension," sort of flat, almost like a collage.

Here is the friendly guy himself! He was greeting his customers and also painting in the back of his booth when he had a chance.

I found Miss Priss (my name for her, not Terrell's) with the bird on her head and the flower in her mouth very charming................

and of course, had I bought one of these, I would have had to have all four!

A man of many talents, Terrell also works in iron. These flower baskets are hilarious and beautiful at the same time. Made from old iron faucet handles, they have a beautiful sculptural quality.

Folky as they are, these birds have a crisp, modern edge. I can see them in a minimal, contemporary setting.

While these are a little more primitive and sweet...................

If you want to see more of his work, visit the website mentioned above and click on his name. Guaranteed to make you smile!!